Distributor for internal-combustion engines



Aug. 3 1926.

w. P.V GATCHELL DISTRIBUTOR FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 31, 1923 Mun a Aug. 3 1926. l Y 1,594,611 w. P. GATcHELl.

DISTRIBUTGRAFOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES' Filed Jan. 31, 192s 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Aug. 3, i926.

UNTED STATES WILLIAM r. GA'rcnsrL, or unicaen, Immers.

DISTRIBUTOR FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed January 31, k1923.

This invention vhas to do withce-rtain improvements in distributors for internal combustion engines. It has reference particularly to improvements in distributors for automobile engines and the like, although its usefulness is not limited to this particular class of service.

The arrangement herein disclosed is also particularly well adapted for use in `connection with the engines of Ford cars, but may also be used in connection with the engines for ,other cars as will be apparent from the disclosure itself.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an arrangement in which the 'distributorcan be located at a sufficient elevation within the engine compartment to be effectively protected against the entrance of oil and dirt; `and in this connection also to so locate the distributor head as to make the same easily accessible for installation or adjustment. i

ln the construction of 4certain automobile engi-nes and .particularly in the case of Ford engines, the distributor itself is located at a point in direct alignment with the cam shaft, and is, therefore, not readily accessible nor conveniently located. A further objectl of the invention is to provide an eXtension for the distributor head., which extension is so arranged that it can be directly attached to the engine casing at the position usually occupied by the commutator, and when so attached and properly supported will reach upwardly and across the front end of the engine so as to place the distributor or timer itself at the pointmost easily accessible and Where the connections to the various spark plugs can be most conveniently made.

A further object is to so arrange the distributor head itself that the high tension connections therefrom will reach sidewise directly towards the engine, so that the high tension connections from the distributor head will pass directlyto the different-spark plugs without unnecessary bends.

A further object in connection with the foregoing is to so position the various high tension connections'in the distributor head itself that they will come in the most logical and direct sequence for direct attachment to the various spark plugs without vunnecessary crossingof wires or other complications.

In this connection a further object is to designate by convenient numerals directly Serial No. 616,164.

on the distributor headthe particular spark plugs to which the vario-us high tensiony wires should be connected.

Another object ofthe invention is to make provision` for securing' a more perfect timing of the sparks to the diderent cylinders by an improved arrangement of making and breaking the primary circ-uit of the coil. In this connection an object is t0 provide a make and break device in which the making of the circuit shall be performed quickly, that is, by the abrupt side of the cam, the breaking of the circuit being formed, either quickly orfslowly as the cas-e may be,\it being understood that the initial sparking impulse is in this case provided by theY electromagnetic change in the rcoil lcaused by the making of the circuit in the lirst lace.

Other objects are to generarfly improve the make and break mechanism, and particularly to provide a very simple construction and one which can be{cheaply-manufactured, and

to make provision for Very easy adjustment `of the breaker block against which the cam operates.

Other objects and uses vof the .invention will appear `from a detailed description of the same which consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

ln the drawings:

Figure l shows a fragmentary end elevation 'of an automobile engine of the Ford type having applied lthereto a distributor embodying the features of the present invention; L

Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal section of the distributor or timer itself on enlarged scale as compared to Fig. l;

3 shows a cross section on the line 3 3 of Fig'. 2, Vlocking inthe direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4e shows a cross section taken on line l---stof Fig. 2, Vlooking in the direction. of the arrows but on enlarged scale;

Fig.' 5 shows a cross section taken on the Iline 5-'-5 of Fig. 2 looking in the direc-tion of the arrows but on enlarged scale;

Fig. 6 shows a cross section taken 'on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows but on enlarged scale;

Fig. 7 shows a longitudinal section on `the line 7--7 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 8 shows diagrammatically Ithe relative positions of the cylinder block, distributor' .this commutator head is removed and a cap 12 is seated within the recess of the flange 11. Furthermore, a spiral or helical gear 13 is secured to Athe end of the cani shaft by a nut 14. The cap 12 has at one side a journal 15 within which is journaled an eXten- .sion shaft 16 whose inner end carries a helical or spiral gear 17 meshing with the gear 13.

A sleeve 18 surrounds the extension shaft 16. At the lower end of this sleeve is located a bushing 19 on the shaft 16, and at the upper end is another bushing 20. The

extension shaft 16 and sleeve 18 reach upwardly across the front end of the engine in a diagonal manner, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the upper end o'f this extension member occupies a position atthat side of the top of the engine from which the high tension wires can be most conveniently carried to the various spark plugs. The upper portion of the sleeve 18 is sustained in this position by a collar 21 within which the sleeve is rotatably mounted, said collar in turn being carried by a bracket 22. The upper end of this bracket is conveniently supported by a bolt or tap screw 23 which is one of the nuts holding the water connection 24 in place on the engine.

A split sleeve 25 can be clamped to the sleeve 18 by a bolt 26. This split sleeve 25 carries an arm 27 by means of which it may be easily turned by a link 28 operated by a rod 29 adjacent to the steering post 30.

To the upper end of the sleeve 18 there is attached a cup-shaped housing 31, this housing being provided with a split sleeve 32 by which it may be clamped to the sleeve 18 by a bolt 33. Within theI housing 31 there is a cam block 34. 'This cam block is locked to the upper end of the shaft 16 by a wedgeshaped screw 35 which threads into the upper end of the shaft 16, said upper end being split, as shown in Fig. 7 so that the screw 35 will spread this split portion to clamp the cam block in place. A fibre washer 36 may be set on the licor of the housing 31 beneath the cam block 34, so as to prevent any travel of oil upwards along the shaft into the housing.

Adjacent to the cam block 34 is located a curved breaker arm 37. This is conveniently stamped from a piece of sheet metal so as to form a sleeve 38 at one end, which sleeve is pivotally mounted on a stud 39 secured to the floor of the housing 31. The other to present a new wearing surface to the cam 34, and then the screw may be tightened up again. j

The cam block 34is intended to turn in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 4. j It will be observed that each of the points of the cam is abrupt on its retreating face and is gradualv on its approaching face. Consequently, the circuit will be rapidly made but gradually broken. the initial impulse in the coil supplied by this primary circuit will be provided by the closing of the circuit, it follows that a very accurate timing can be secured because the act of closing the circuit is performed quickly with this arm arrangen'ient instead of slowly as would be thefcase with a gradual closing of the contact points.

A leaf spring 44 has its inner end connected to the armv 37, and its outer end bearing against the inside of the casing 31 so as to restore the arm 37 into the closed circuit position. A fixed contact45, against which the movable contact 41 of the breaker arm operates, is carried` by a bracket 46. This bracket rests upon an insulating plate 47 on the floor ofthe casing'31, and another insulating plate 48 is placed against the bottom of the casing immediately beneath the plate 47. A hole 49 is provided in the floor of the casing, and a screw 50 passes through the bracket, the insulating plates, and the hole 49, and serves to draw all of the parts together so as to secure the bracket rigidly in place.

By the provision of'a hole 49 of some size, as illustrated in Fig. 4, it is possible to move the bracket 46 either back and forth or sidewise in order to effect various adjustments between the contact points 41 and 45. By the back and forth adjustment it is possible topresent new points of contact between the conta-ct members so as to avoid pitting as much as possible'. f

The distributor block 51 is mounted o the top face of the cam block 34 and rotates in harmony therewith. This distributor block 51 is provided with large and small ypins 52 and 53 respectively, which set into corresponding sockets of the cam block 34 so as to drive the distributor block 51; and the use of the two sizes of pins insures that theV distributor block will always be set into place in the proper position. n

The insulating distributor block 51 carries Owing to the fact that c teneri 1 a plate fl ott electrical conducting material,

whose outeren'd 'is orined on a circle drawn about 'the shalt asa cer-iter.A rllhe inner eiid' or the plate 5l is adapted to inake the central Contact tor the hightension systern. ik cap 5( et suitable insulating inaterial such as bakelite is provided for closing over .the casing 3l. "This cap is provided with a central upstanding lug58 which extends' across its width; rlFhis lugreaches aboye the general surface 59er the cap a suilicient distance to allow the sockets for the high tension wires to enter -into'its side face wit l1 ainple clearance VaboveA the Inain portion ci the'cap'. 'ln the particular arrangement illustrated, provisioiris made Afor a tour-cylinder engine, `and live sockets are illustrated for the high tension wires 60, 6l, G2 and 63 dior/the spark plugs of the iour cylinders, and for a ith wire 64 which coines troni the high tension side of the coil.

illithin the cap are formed the wires 65, 66, ('57 and 68, whose lower ends project downwardly into the cap, as shown in Fig. 7, so that, as the distributor head 5l rotates, the high tension current will be delivered to these wires in succession. Another wire G9 reaches down through the center' of the cap to establish the incoining connection to the distributor block 51.

lt will be observed that with the arrange nient illustrated three of the wires, 65, 67 and 69, reach straight down, and that only the wires 66 and 68 are bent through an material distance in order to establish the proper connections. This simplicity of construction is possible by placing the lug 58 centrally across the cap, as clearly shown in Fig. 6.

The connections within the cap are also inade in such fashion that the leads inay be carried directly from the diii'erent sockets to the cylinders, as shown cliagrainmatically in Fig. 8. This direct connection is made possible by properly relating the sockets to the Various wires within the cap, taking account ot the direction of rotation ,of the shaft lli, and also taking account of the firing order of the cylinders.

Yhile l have herein shown and described only a single embodiment oit the features of iny present invention, still I do not limit i'nysel'l` to the saine, except as l may do `so in the clain'is.

l claim:

l. In a distributor, the combination with a tour cylinder internal combustion engine wherein the sequence oli tiring the Various cylinders is l-'Z-t-B, and the spark plugs therefor located along one side ol the engine, of a distributor head for distributing high tension current to said spark plugs in proper sequence, said distributor head being located at the left hand side of the engine and in-L cluding a central downwardly facing Contact parallel to the cylinder block, a series of laterally facing sockets in said projection iforthe high tension leads to the Various `spark plugs, said sockets corresponding in sequence to the actual physical sequence of the Various cylinders of the engine to which they correspond, high tension leads iroifn the sockets directly to the several spark plugs of the cylinders in regular sequence, and connections within the distributor head from the downward projections of the sockets'in proper fashion for distribution ol high tensioncurrent yto the leads 'to the spark plug`s`"inliring order l-2-`4 -'3," whereby the high tension leads from the distributor head to the spark plugs are established in the inost direct manner possible and without crossing of high tension wires between the distributor head and the spark plugs, substantially as described.

2. ln a. distributor, the combination with i'our cylinder internalcoinbustion engine wherein the sequence of firing the various cylinders is l-2-fl-3, and the spark plugs therefor located along one side oi' the engine, K

of a distributor head for distributing high tension current to said spark plugs in proper sequence, said distributor head being located at one side of the engine and including a central downwardly facing Contact point for connection to the high tension side of the coil, and tour downwardly depending connections for the four spark plugs of the cylinders, a laterally facing projection on the upper portion of the distributor lying parallel to the cylinder block, a series of laterally facing sockets in said projection for the high tension leads to the various spark plugs, said sockets corresponding in sequence to the actual physical sequence of the various cylinders of the engine to which they correspond, high tension leads troni the sockets directly to the several spark plugs of the cylinders in regular sequence, and connections within `the distributor head troni the downward.

projections of the sockets in proper fashion for distribution of high tension current to the leads to the spark plugs in firing order l--2-l3, whereby the high tension leads troni the distributor head to the spark plugs are established in the in-ost direct manner possible and without crossing of high tension wires between the distributor headand the spark plugs, substantially as described.

3. In a distributor, the combination with a four cylinder internal combustion engine wherein the sequence of iiring the various cylinders is l-2-43, and the spark plugs therefor located along one side of the engine, of a distributor head for distributing high tension current to said spark plugsv in proper sequence, said distributor head be-` ing located at one side of the engine and including a central downwardly facing contact point for connection tc the high tension side of the coil7 and four downwardly depending connections for the four spark plugs of the cylinders, a. laterally facing projection on the upper portion of the distributor lying parallel to the cylinder block, a series of laterally facing sockets in said projection for the'high tension leads to the various spark plugs, said sockets corresponding in sequence to the actual physical sequence of the various cylinders of the engine to which they correspond, high tension leads from the sockets directly to the several spark plugs of the cylinders in regular sequence7 and connections within the distributor head troni the downward projections of the sockets in proper fashion for distribution of high tension current tothe leads to the spark plugs in firing order l-2-4-3, whereby the high tension leads from the distributor head to the spark plugs are established in the inost direct manner possible and without crossing the high tension wires between the distributor head and the spark plugs, and designations yon the distributor head adjacent to the sockets indicating the cylinders corresponding to said sockets, whereby the designations aforesaid come in regular numerical sequence across the width of the dis?l tribut-or head, substantially as described.

WILLIAM P. GATCHELL. 

